BREAKING NEWS: Tottenham would have challenged for the title with Bale – Sherwood

The manager believes the north Londoners would have been involved in the top-of-the-table battle had the Welshman rejected the advances of Real Madrid

Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood believes Spurs would be challenging for the Premier League title if they still had Gareth Bale at the club.

The Welshman left for Real Madrid in a world-record £86 million deal last summer, after scoring 21 Premier League goals to lead Tottenham’s ultimately doomed charge on the top four in 2012/13.

And he gave Spurs fans a timely reminder of what they are missing with a stunning winner in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on Wednesday, with Sherwood declaring that his side would be involved in the top-of-the-table battle between Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City had Bale chosen to remain in north London.

“That is business as usual for Gareth Bale,” said Sherwood, discussing the Welshman’s winner in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday night.

“We saw what he did last year: 21 goals and nine assists. He scored the winner in eight games.

“We could do with that now, by the way. If you put those points that he accumulated for us on top of what we have got we would probably be challenging for the title.

“The two best players on the pitch last night (in the Copa del Rey final) were Gareth Bale and Luka Modric and that says everything.”